A department manager refuses to adopt the new process. How should I respond?
Unresolved local accountability concernsDiscuss the specific operational impact and decision rights with the manager. Check whether the concern is justified, distinguish non-negotiable requirements from adaptable implementation details, and agree an accountable resolution with the sponsor. Do not turn a process dispute into a personality contest.
What to do now
- Understand the manager's practical concerns
- Map impacts and requirements for the department
- Agree adaptations or an explicit decision
- Record ownership and adoption commitments
When to escalate
The disagreement blocks a required cross-department process.
The business process owner and change sponsor
Example
A manager supports adoption once responsibility for exception approvals is clarified.
Mistake to avoid
Calling the manager resistant without documenting the actual conflict.
Prevent a repeat
Measure successful use of the intended workflow and resolve recurring barriers instead of relying only on attendance or logins.
Suggested ApprovedFlow setup
- Tasks
- Documents
- Resources
Assign role-specific readiness and feedback actions, keep reviewed job aids with the project, and record accepted operating responsibilities. See the platform
Related cases
- We launched the system, but staff still use spreadsheets. Why?Unresolved adoption barriers
- Users with accessibility needs cannot complete the new workflow. What do we do?Exclusionary implementation
- A stakeholder resists the project but will not explain why. What should I do?Unexplored stakeholder concerns
- The client paid less than the invoice. How should the project respond?Unresolved payment discrepancy